Calm and treacherously beautiful as was the morning on which Captain
Staunton regained his ship, scarcely had she got under way to stand in
closer to the mouth of the river, in order to watch more narrowly for
the schooner, should she attempt to run out, than a dark cloud was seen
rising over the land. It appeared on a sudden, and extended rapidly,
till it spread over the whole eastern sky.
"I fear that it will not do with the weather we have in prospect to send
the boats up the river again to retrieve our defeat, Mr Collins," said
Captain Staunton, pointing to the threatening sky.
"I think not, sir, with you," answered the lieutenant; "in fact, if I
may advise, the sooner we shorten sail the better, or we may have it
down upon us before we are prepared."
"You are right, Mr Collins; shorten sail as soon as you please," said
the captain.
"All hands shorten sail," was sung along the decks.
"Aloft there"--"Lay out"--"Be smart about it"--"In with every
thing"--"Let fly"--"Haul down"--"Brail up"--"Be smart, it will be down
upon us thick and strong, in a moment"--"Up with the helm"--"Look out
there aloft"--"Be smart, my lads."
Such were the different orders issued, and exclamations uttered in
succession by the officers.
A moment before, the sea was smooth as glass, and the brig had scarcely
steerage-way. Now the loud roaring of the angry blast was heard, and
the flapping of the yet unfolded canvas against the masts; the ocean was
a sheet of white foam, and the sky a canopy of inky hue. Away the brig
flew before it, leaving the land astern, her sails were closely furled,
and she remained unharmed, not a spar was sprung, not a rope carried
away, not a sail injured. Thus she flew on under bare poles till the
squall subsided as quickly as it had arisen, and sail was again made to
recover the ground they had lost.
Land was still visible, blue and indistinct, but many fears were
naturally entertained lest the slaver, which had already given them so
much trouble, should have got out of the river with her living cargo,
and by keeping either way along shore, have escaped them. For some
minutes the wind entirely failed, and curses loud and deep were uttered
at their ill luck, when, as if to rebuke them for their discontent, the
fine fresh sea-breeze set in, and, with a flowing sheet, carried them
gayly along.
Every eye was employed in looking out for the slaver, for they could not
suppose she would have lost the opportunity of getting out during their
absence. They were not kept long in suspense.
"A sail on the starboard bow," cried the look-out from the masthead.
"What is she like?" asked the first lieutenant.
"A schooner, sir. The slaver, sir, as we chased afore," answered the
seaman, his anxiety that she should be so making him fancy he could not
be mistaken.
"The fellow must have sharp eyes indeed to know her at this distance,"
muttered the lieutenant to himself with a smile; "however, I suppose
he's right. We must not, though, be chasing the wrong craft while the
enemy is escaping. Which way is she standing?" he asked.
"To the southward, sir, with every stitch of canvas she can carry," was
the answer.
The officer made the proper official report to the captain.
"We must be after her at all events," said Captain Staunton. "Haul up,
Mr Collins, in chase. Send Mr Stevenson away in the barge to watch
the mouth of the river."
The brig was forthwith brought to the wind, the barge in a very short
space of time was launched and manned with a stout crew well-armed and
provisioned, and she shoved off to perform her duty, while the "Sylph"
followed the strange sail. The man-of-war had evidently an advantage
over the stranger, for while the sea-breeze in the offing blew fresh and
steady, in-shore it was light and variable.
On perceiving this, Captain Staunton kept his brig still nearer to the
wind, and ran down, close-hauled, along the coast, thus keeping the
strength of the wind, and coming up hand over hand with the stranger,
who lay at times almost becalmed under the land. The breeze, however,
before they came abreast of her reached her also, and away she flew like
a startled hare just aroused from sleep.
"Fire a gun to bring her to," exclaimed the captain; "she shall have no
reason to mistake our intentions."
The British ensign was run up, and a gun was discharged, but to no
effect. Two others followed, which only caused her to make more sail;
and by her luffing closer up to the wind, she apparently hoped to
weather on them, and cross their bows. She was a large schooner, and by
the way sail was made on her, probably strongly-handed, so that there
could be little doubt that she was the vessel for which they were in
search.
"Send a shot into the fellow," exclaimed the captain; "that will prove
we are in earnest, and make him show his colours."
The shot clearly hit the schooner, although the range was somewhat long,
but it did slight damage. It had the effect though of making him show
his ensign, and the stripes and stars of the United States streamed out
to the breeze.
"Those are not the fellow's colours, I'll swear," said Mr Collins, as
he looked through his glass. "Another shot will teach him we are not to
be humbugged."
"Give it him, Collins, and see if you can knock away any of his spars,"
said the captain. "We must follow that fellow round the world till we
bring him to action, and take or sink him. He'll not heave-to for us,
depend upon that."
"Not if Daggerfeldt is the captain," answered the first lieutenant.
"I think she is his schooner; but he is so continually altering her
appearance that it is difficult to be quite certain."
"Though I was some hours on board of her, as I reached her in the dark,
and left her before it was light, I cannot be certain," observed Captain
Staunton, as he took a turn on the quarter-deck with his officer. "By
the by, there is that poor girl's black attendant; he will know the
vessel at all events. Tell him to come up and give us his opinion."
The lieutenant went into the captain's cabin, and soon after returned,
observing,--
"He will not quit his mistress, sir; and the surgeon tells me he has sat
by her side without stirring, watching every movement of her lips as a
mother does her only child. As no one on board can speak his language
but you, sir, we cannot make him understand why he is wanted on deck."
"Oh, I forgot that: I will speak to him myself," answered the captain.
"Keep firing at the chase till she heaves-to, and then see that she does
not play us any trick. Daggerfeldt is up to every thing."
Captain Staunton descended to his cabin. Juanetta lay on the sofa, a
sheet thrown over her limbs, her countenance of a corpse-like hue, but
by the slight movements of her lips she still breathed. The black hung
over her, applying a handkerchief to her brow to wipe away the cold
damps gathering there. Her features, though slightly sunk, as seen in
the subdued light of the cabin, seemed like those of some beautiful
statue rather than of a living being. The surgeon stood at the head of
the couch, endeavouring to stop the haemorrhage from the wound.
"I dare not probe for the ball," he whispered, as if the dying girl
could understand him; "it would only add to her torture, and I cannot
prolong her life."
"And this is thy handiwork, Daggerfeldt--another victim of thy unholy
passions," muttered the captain, as he gazed at her for a moment. "Poor
girl, we will avenge thee!"
He had considerable difficulty in persuading Mauro to quit his mistress;
but at length the faithful black allowed himself to be led on deck. He
looked round, at first bewildered, as if unconscious where he was; but
when his eye fell on the schooner, it brightened up, as if meeting an
object with which it was familiar, and a fierce expression took
possession of his countenance.
"Es ella, es ella, senor!" he exclaimed, vehemently. "It is she, it is
she--fire, fire--kill him, kill him, he has slain my mistress!"
A gun was just then discharged, the shot struck the quarter of the
schooner, and the white splinters were seen flying from it. On seeing
this he shouted with savage joy, clapped his hands, and spat in the
direction of the slaver, exhibiting every other sign he could think of,
of hatred and rage. Having thus given way to his feelings, the
recollection of his mistress returned, and with a groan of anguish he
rushed down below.
The two vessels had been gradually drawing closer to each other, in
consequence of the schooner luffing up to endeavour to cross the bows of
the brig, and if she could, to get to windward of her, the only chance
she had of escaping. The eyes of the officers were fixed on her to
watch her movements.
"She's about--all right!" shouted the captain. "Give her a broadside
while she is in stays, and knock away some of her spars. Fire high, my
lads, so as not to hurt her hull."
The brig discharged her whole larboard battery, and the fore-topmast of
the schooner was seen tumbling below.
"By Jingo, we've dished him!" exclaimed Jack Hopkins, to his chum, Bob
Short; "and I'm blowed, Bob, if it wasn't my shot did that ere for him.
I never lost sight of it till it struck."
"Maybe," answered Bob; "hard to prove, though."
The schooner had sufficient way on her to bring her round before the
topmast fell, and she was now brought into a position partially to rake
the brig, though at the distance the two vessels were from each other,
the aim was very uncertain.
That Daggerfeldt had determined to fight his vessel was now evident, for
the flag of the United States being hauled down, that of Spain was run
up in its stead, and at the same moment a broadside was let fly from the
schooner. The shot came whizzing over and about the brig, but one only
struck her, carrying away the side of a port, a splinter from which
slightly wounded Bob Short in the leg.
"Ough!" exclaimed Bob, quietly binding his handkerchief round the limb
without quitting his post, "they're uncivil blackguards."
"Never mind, Bob," said Jack Hopkins, "we'll soon have an opportunity of
giving them something in return. See, by Jingo, we've shot away his
forestay! we'll have his foremast down in a jiffy. Huzza, my boys,
let's try what we can do!"
Whether Jack's gun was well aimed it is difficult to say, but at all
events the shot from the brig told with considerable effect on the
rigging of the schooner. The brig did not altogether escape from the
fire of the enemy, who worked his guns rapidly; but whenever a brace was
shot away it was quickly again rove, so that she was always kept well
under command. The loss of her fore-topmast made the escape of the
schooner hopeless, unless she could equally cripple her pursuer; but
that she had not contrived to do, and accordingly, as the two vessels
drew closer together, the fire from each took more effect. Daggerfeldt,
to do him justice, did all a seaman could do, and in a very short space
of time the wreck of his topmast was cleared away, and he was preparing
to get up a new one in its place. The sea was perfectly smooth, and the
wind gradually fell till there was scarcely enough to blow away the
smoke from the guns of the combatants, which in thick curling wreaths
surrounded them, till at intervals only could the adjacent land and the
ocean be seen.
Although Daggerfeldt could scarcely have hoped to succeed either in
escaping or coming off the victor, he still refused to haul down his
colours, even when the "Sylph," shooting past ahead of him, poured in
her whole broadside, sweeping his decks, and killing and wounding
several of his people. Dreadful were the shrieks which arose from the
poor affrighted wretches confined below, although none of them were
injured. The "Sylph" then wore round, and, passing under her stern,
gave her another broadside, and then luffing up, ran her alongside--the
grappling-irons were hove on board, and she was secured in a deadly
embrace. The miserable blacks, believing that every moment was to be
their last, again uttered loud cries of horror; but the slaver's crew,
some of whom fought with halters round their necks, still refused to
yield, and, with cutlass in hand, seemed prepared to defend their vessel
to the last, as the British seamen, led on by their captain, leaped upon
the decks. Staunton endeavoured to single out Daggerfeldt, but he could
nowhere distinguish him; and after a severe struggle, in which several
of the Spaniards were killed, he fought his way aft, and hauled down the
colours.
At that instant a female form, with a white robe thrown around her, was
seen standing on the deck of the brig; the crew of the slaver also saw
her, and, believing her to be a spirit of another world, fancied she had
come to warn them of their fate. The energies of many were paralysed,
and some threw down their arms and begged for quarter. A loud, piercing
shriek was heard.
"I am avenged, I am avenged!" she cried, and sank upon the deck.
It was Juanetta. Mauro, who had followed her from the cabin, threw
himself by her side, and wrung his hands in despair. They raised up her
head, and the surgeon felt her pulse. She had ceased to breathe.
No further resistance was offered by the crew of the slaver. Eight
hundred human beings--men, women, and children--were found stowed below,
wedged so closely together, that none could move without disturbing his
neighbour. Some had actually died from sheer fright at the noise of the
cannonading.
Instant search was made for Daggerfeldt; he was nowhere to be found, and
the crew either could not or would not give any information respecting
him. The prize was carried safely to Sierra Leone, where she was
condemned; the slaves were liberated, and became colonists; and Captain
Staunton, and his officers and crew, got a handsome share of
prize-money.
The "Sylph" was in the following month recalled home, and a few weeks
afterward the papers announced the marriage of Captain Staunton, RN, to
Miss Blanche D'Aubigne.